Western PA Local News category, Page 2707
Pickup truck overturns on Pennsylvania Turnpike near I-376 in Monroeville; no one injured
A pickup truck overturned Tuesday night on the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Interstate 376 in Monroeville, spurring a traffic backlog for several miles in each direction. No one was seriously injured, a Turnpike Operations Center spokesman said. The report of the crash came in at about 5:20 p.m. in the westbound...
3-vehicle crash snarls traffic on Route 28 near Highland Park Bridge; 1 injured
One person was injured in a three-vehicle crash that snarled traffic on Route 28 near the Highland Park Bridge exit during Tuesday’s evening commute, officials said. Emergency dispatchers received a report of the crash in the highway’s southbound lanes near Aspinwall at about 5:20 p.m., an Allegheny County 911 shift...
Point Park students discuss Trump impeachment proceedings in Senate
In the hours before the start of the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump Tuesday morning, journalism and political science students at Point Park University met to discuss the media’s role in covering the news event. Andrew Conte, director of Point Park’s Center for Media Innovation, tossed out questions to...
Leechburg wants to honor military veterans with banners
Leechburg is joining other Alle-Kiski Valley communities in honoring their veterans and active military service members with banners. A three-person committee that includes Mayor Wayne Dobos has been working on the “Hometown Hero” banner program since last year. The other community members are Doreen Smeal and Debbie Canzano. The banners...
Man accused of starting North Apollo bar fight, then fighting with cops
A New Kensington man faces charges after police said he started a fight early Tuesday at a North Apollo bar and then fought with officers who responded. Kiski Township police said they arrived at the R Bar on 16th Street to see Nicholas Jack, 25, throwing punches at people who...
Latrobe gas station robber sentenced to 2-4 years
A Johnstown man pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges he robbed a Latrobe convenience store last March. Police said Cory J. Lonsinger, 38, wore a hooded sweatshirt, gloves and had his face covered with a black bandana when he threatened a clerk at the Lloyd Avenue BP gas station on March...
Vandergrift man accused of hitting girlfriend with hammer during argument
A Vandergrift man accused of hitting his live-in girlfriend in the head with a hammer allegedly told police he only “nicked her.” Police said Thomas Andrew Funkhouser, 34, had fresh blood on his hands when officers arrived at a Grant Street apartment at about 12:30 a.m. last Thursday. His girlfriend,...
Fire, EMS organizations in Allegheny, Westmoreland counties slated for state grants
More than $850,000 has been slated for 68 local fire and EMS organizations in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, Sen. Jim Brewster announced on Tuesday. The $858,144 was made available through the Office of the State Fire Commissioner’s Fire Company and Emergency Medical Service Grant Program, Brewster said. The funds are...
Cleaveland/Price Inc. in North Huntingdon names Heller new president
Cleaveland/Price Inc., an international supplier and manufacturer of high-voltage electrical products based in North Huntingdon, named Carl Heller as its new company president. The transition took place Jan. 1, the company said. Heller has been with Cleaveland/Price for 14 years serving a variety of functions, including production planning and operations...
Police: 14-year-old Avonmore girl was high when she led police on chase
A 14-year-old Avonmore girl is accused of being high on drugs Monday morning when she took her mother’s car and led Gilpin police on a high-speed chase before crashing, according to police. Gilpin police Chief Chris Fabec did not identify the girl but said she faces juvenile charges including reckless...
3 more alternate jurors still needed in Wilkinsburg mass shooting case
Attorneys selected their second alternate juror Tuesday to hear the upcoming death penalty case against two men charged in connection with the 2016 mass shooting in Wilkinsburg. Nineteen jurors were interviewed, and 16 were excused or expressed a bias in the case. The trial against Cheron Shelton, 32, and Robert...
Greensburg man sent to prison for exposing himself to a woman
A Greensburg man will serve up to three years in prison for exposing himself to a woman in his home. James W. Sanders, 36, formerly of Latrobe, pleaded guilty Tuesday to four misdemeanor offenses in connection with an incident last April 3. According to court records, police said Sanders lured...
Carnegie Carnegie Corner: Expanding horizons one book at a time
A few weeks ago, a young reader came to the library with her father. She picked out a stack of chapter books for herself and a few board books. Upon further discussion, she mentioned that she would be reading the board books to her baby brother. How marvelous that she...
New Stanton man convicted in fatal hit and run appeals verdict
A New Stanton man serving a 40-year prison sentence for the hit-and-run death of a man jogging on Christmas Eve in 2016 claims he was improperly convicted of murder. In an appeal filed Tuesday, Matthew Ramsay claims evidence against him during a three-day jury trial in March was insufficient to...
Powerball ticket worth $1M sold in Washington County
A Pennsylvania Powerball Lottery player in Washington County won $1 million in Saturday’s drawing, lottery officials said. The ticket matched all five white balls drawn, 20-24-38-56-68, but not the red Powerball 18, to win $1 million, less applicable withholding. The Sheetz store at 300 Racetrack Road in North Strabane, near...
Pittsburgh council proposes control of funding generated by parks tax
Revenue from Pittsburgh’s controversial parks tax would be split evenly each year among the city’s nine council districts for park improvements under legislation proposed Tuesday by two city council members. The legislation sponsored by Anthony Coghill and Deb Gross received mixed reviews as other council members voiced concerns about an...
New cocktail lounge, Emerson’s, opens in Pittsburgh’s Market Square
A new cocktail bar and restaurant in Downtown Pittsburgh, Emerson’s, will let patrons get warm on the inside and the outside: It features a fireplace. “This cold weather is the perfect time to come here,” said David Priselac, who owns Emerson’s with his wife Rachel, Mimi and Ralph Falbo and...
Kiski Township’s 1st manager resigns
Kiski Township’s first township manager has resigned less than two years after taking the job. Donna Piper tendered her resignation for the position and supervisors will hold a special meeting Jan. 29 to accept it. Piper could not be reached for comment. Supervisor Chuck Rodnicki said he is unsure whether...
Scottdale library gets $50K donation from bank
Scottdale Public Library received a $50,000 donation from Scottdale Bank & Trust, the bank’s parent company announced. The donation was through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit, or EITC, a program of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Parent company Mid Penn Bank of Millersburg, donated a total of...
Alleged hazing incident in Greater Latrobe Junior High wrestling program under investigation
Greater Latrobe School District and state police are investigating an alleged hazing incident involving the junior high wrestling team. Superintendent Georgia Teppert said Tuesday she couldn’t comment on specifics of the investigation because of student privacy and personnel issues. The district is “taking all appropriate actions necessary,” has met with...
West Deer acquires box for residents to safely dispose of medication
West Deer residents now have a safe place to drop off unwanted medications. The township recently acquired a Safe Medication Disposal box, which is in the lobby of the municipal building. West Deer police partnered with KidCents and The Rite Aid Foundation to get the box, which was donated by...
Highlands hires new principal for elementary school
Highlands Elementary School has a new principal. Stan Whiteman was hired at an annual salary of $108,000. His start date is not yet known, school board President Misty Chybrzynski said. Whiteman is coming to Highlands from the Duquesne City School District, where he was director of curriculum, instruction, assessment and...
Mom inspired to help others after son’s death at Pittsburgh youth football practice
The mother of the 13-year-old youth football player from Carrick who collapsed and later died after an August practice is working to start a rapid medical response team to monitor football practices and games so what happened to her son doesn’t happen to others. Jordan Duckett of Carrick died on...
Crane used to pull bus out of sinkhole to cost Pittsburgh $88,000
Pittsburgh officials said it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to pay for repairs and other costs associated with the giant sinkhole that opened up in October at 10th and Penn avenues in Downtown and swallowed the back end of a Port Authority bus. It is going to cost...
Hempfield supervisors, school board to hold joint meeting
Hempfield Township supervisors and the Hempfield Area School Board will converge next week for their first joint meeting in years. On Jan. 29, members of the two boards will have an “open dialogue” about things happening in Hempfield, township Manager Jason Winters said. Tony Bompiani, school board president, added that...
